Russians Strongly Hint At American Cause for Phobos-Grunt Failure

"In an interview to the Russian newspaper Izvestia, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, Vladimir Popovkin, said that intended influence on the probe cannot be completely excluded. "I do not want to blame anyone, but these days there are very powerful means to influence space vehicles," he told the newspaper, adding that it is still unclear why the probe's engine failed to start in the first place. ... We do not understand frequent failures of our space vehicles when they fly over the shadow, for Russia, part of the Earth," Popovkin said. "Right there we are unable to see the vehicle and to receive its telemetry."

"Meanwhile, a retired Russian general believes that the glitch which prevented Phobos-Grunt from carrying out its space mission was caused by American radar sites in Alaska. General-Lieutenant Nikolay Rodionov, who used to command the country's ballistic missile early warning system, told Interfax that "the powerful electromagnetic radiation of those sites may have affected the control system of the interplanetary probe."

"James Oberg, a NASA veteran who has written books on the Russian space program and now works as a space consultant, said Popovkin's comments were a sad example of the Russian cultural instinct to 'blame foreigners.' "It's a feature of space launch trajectories that orbital adjustments must be made halfway around the first orbit to circularize and stabilize subsequent orbits," Oberg said in e-mailed comments. "The Russians must know that simple geography -- not evildoers lurking in shadows -- dictate where their communications 'blind spots' are. But the urge to shift blame seems strong," he said."

"Popovkin's speculation is almost certainly incorrect--and, I suspect, was likely a bit of deliberate nationalist pandering, perhaps not meant to be taken seriously. But there are two reasons it's worrisome. The first is that it's hard to prove he's wrong, so when the next, more militarily useful, spacecraft fails, the accusation can resurface. The other is that Popovkin, and the Sputniks he controls, are the only way to get American astronauts to the International Space Station."

"Vague insinuations of sabotage are a dogwhistle for those who are more than eager to write off any such failure on the work of Russia's enemies abroad. Unfortunately for Popovkin, any thinking person will immediately see his words for what they are - without a concrete theory as to how and why Phobos-Grunt may have been sabotaged, this looks to be a classic means of passing the buck."

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Shady side of Earth: Western trace in space probe's failure?, Russia Today\n\n\"In an interview to the Russian newspaper Izvestia, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, Vladimir Popovkin, said that intended influence on the probe cannot be completely excluded. \"I do not want to blame anyone, but these days there are very powerful means to influence space vehicles,\" he told the newspaper, adding that it is still unclear why the probe's engine failed to start in the first place. ... We do not understand frequent failures of our space vehicles when they fly over the shadow, for Russia, part of the Earth,\" Popovkin said. \"Right there we are unable to see the vehicle and to receive its telemetry.\"\n\nDid US 'climate weapon' knock-out Russian probe?, Russia Today\n\n\"Meanwhile, a retired Russian general believes that the glitch which prevented Phobos-Grunt from carrying out its space mission was caused by American radar sites in Alaska. General-Lieutenant Nikolay Rodionov, who used to command the country's ballistic missile early warning system, told Interfax that \"the powerful electromagnetic radiation of those sites may have affected the control system of the interplanetary probe.\"\n\nRussia's Space Chief Says Failures May Be Sabotage, AP\n\n\"James Oberg, a NASA veteran who has written books on the Russian space program and now works as a space consultant, said Popovkin's comments were a sad example of the Russian cultural instinct to 'blame foreigners.' \"It's a feature of space launch trajectories that orbital adjustments must be made halfway around the first orbit to circularize and stabilize subsequent orbits,\" Oberg said in e-mailed comments. \"The Russians must know that simple geography -- not evildoers lurking in shadows -- dictate where their communications 'blind spots' are. But the urge to shift blame seems strong,\" he said.\"\n\nThe U.S. Didn't Shoot Down Russia's Mars Probe. But It Could Have, Slate\n\n\"Popovkin's speculation is almost certainly incorrect--and, I suspect, was likely a bit of deliberate nationalist pandering, perhaps not meant to be taken seriously. But there are two reasons it's worrisome. The first is that it's hard to prove he's wrong, so when the next, more militarily useful, spacecraft fails, the accusation can resurface. The other is that Popovkin, and the Sputniks he controls, are the only way to get American astronauts to the International Space Station.\"\n\nDon't pass the buck, Roskosmos!, RIA Novosti\n\n\"Vague insinuations of sabotage are a dogwhistle for those who are more than eager to write off any such failure on the work of Russia's enemies abroad. Unfortunately for Popovkin, any thinking person will immediately see his words for what they are - without a concrete theory as to how and why Phobos-Grunt may have been sabotaged, this looks to be a classic means of passing the buck.\"

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